Every time the Maddocks household springs for a big, glazed,
spiral-cut ham, we can count on sustenance for at least one
week-assuming Kathy and I are able to guard this bounty from the
little fingers incessantly trying to pinch a bite. The feasting
begins with the traditional ham dinner, followed by ham sandwiches
and the occasional "handful o' ham" when no one's
looking. The remaining bits end up in a scalloped potato casserole,
and we ultimately bid our sweet farewell to the remains when we
drown the bone in split pea soup. For the next few days, the family
hibernates, awaking only to drink water.

Ham is the other pink meat, and at Heavenly Ham they want you to
know ham is not just for Easter anymore. In fact, the franchisor of
more than 191 Heavenly Ham stores has recently changed its entire
method of operation to support this belief, and the strategy seems
to be working.

A few years ago this chain franchised stores that used about
2,000 square feet of strip-center space, conducting almost 60
percent of their business during the Easter, Christmas and
Thanksgiving holidays. Then an ambitious franchisee by the name of
Felix Mirando began testing a concept, with the franchisor's
assistance, known as the box lunch program. At that time, the
stores weren't selling many sandwiches, but when Mirando
started offering a sandwich, a side dish, a big cookie and a can of
soda for just under $7, America's corporations responded.

Today, about 40 percent of the gross sales of any Heavenly Ham
store comes from the box lunches, most of which are delivered to
businesses in the surrounding areas. And, in discovering this whole
new sandwich profit center, Heavenly Ham found a way to introduce
its products to those who might not have purchased big hams in the
past.

To build on this big improvement in store performance, the
company is rolling out a prototype store, introduced in 1997, that
uses an additional 500 square feet for a sandwich line and limited
seating. Franchisees are responding by adding space and
remodeling-they're also selling products from Omaha Steaks.
Consequently, stores that have opened since 1998 that have taken
advantage of these innovations are reporting stronger results much
earlier than the older Heavenly Ham stores, says Wade H. Brannon
Jr., senior vice president of franchise development.

The chain's published earnings claims show that average
gross sales for 159 stores were $459,520 in 1999; however, as most
of the chain remains to be renovated, I suspect this will increase
in the future.

The initial cost to open a store is estimated at between
$184,900 and $289,000, including the $30,000 initial franchise fee.
Franchise candidates should have net worths of $250,000, including
liquid assets of approximately $180,000. If you can find a location
with retail visibility and great access to office buildings,
you're on the right track.

This is a hands-on business with decent store hours most of the
year (10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Saturday). Holidays are the
obvious exceptions; expect to stay open for extended holiday hours
when ham and smoked turkey lovers descend upon your store.

If this doesn't deter you, you'll be delighted to find
out territories nationwide are open for further development. Your
competition comes from other food-service establishments as well as
The Honey Baked Ham Company, the leader in the market for
spiral-sliced baked ham.

Todd D. Maddocks is a franchise attorney and small-business
consultant who is presently the CEO of The Worldlink Group LLC. You
can reach him at TMaddocks@aol.com.